Hose connector template apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an apparatus for restricting access to ports that may be disposed in a bonnet to house valves on a railcar. More specifically, the present invention relates to a template that may be lowered over the bonnet of the railcar wherein the template has a plurality of differently sized holes to allow access to specially-sized nozzles. In addition, the valves may be eduction valves and/or vapor valves, and the apertures may allow a specific-sized nozzle to have access to the eduction valves, the vapor valves or both. The template may lower onto the bonnet via a frame that may be rotatably attached to a structure. Further, joints and bearings may be provided to allow the template to be movable so as to precisely fit over the bonnet of the railcar.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hose connector template. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to a template that lowersonto a rail tank car bonnet or protective housing. The template may havea plurality of apertures for connecting particular types of hosesthereto. The apertures may be coded so that the correct hoses areattached to the proper apertures to ensure that the correct hoses are inalignment with valves that are disposed within the bonnet or protectivehousing. The template may be lowered and raised over the bonnet orprotective housing via a lifting means such as a hydraulic apparatus orany other lifting mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is, of course, generally known to utilize rail tank cars, or otherlike mobile containers, to transport chemicals, such as, for example,hazardous, flammable or otherwise dangerous chemicals or other materialsor commodities. The rail tank cars may transport these commodities viarailways. Moreover, other like containers may utilize roadways, highwaysor other like thoroughfares to transport these commodities. Thecommodities stored within the rail tank cars or other like mobilecontainers must be added and removed at certain locations. For example,an empty rail tank car may be filled at one station and may be emptiedat another station after the commodity has been delivered. Moreover, therail tank cars or other like containers may be cleaned and/or repairedat cleaning and/or repair stations.

Whether the rail tank car must be filled, emptied, and cleaned and/orrepaired, commodity must flow through one or more valves that may bedisposed on the rail tank car. The rail tank car or other like mobilecontainer may have a plurality of valves for the addition and/or removalof commodity for filling or removing the commodity. Further, theplurality of valves may be utilized to clean the rail tank car or otherlike mobile container by injecting the rail tank car with a cleaningsubstance such as, for example, steam, heated nitrogen gas, or any othersubstance that may be utilized to clean the rail tank car or otherwiseempty the rail tank car of the commodity. Typically, the rail tank carshave dedicated valves for the addition or removal of liquid commoditiesor gaseous commodities. For example, a liquid valve may be connected toa pipe that may enter the rail tank car and have a length that may reachthe bottom of the rail tank car. This is advantageous for the removal ofliquid product, since gravity will pull liquid product to the bottom ofthe rail tank car. Moreover, a vapor valve may be connected to a pipethat may enter the rail tank car and have a length that may only reachthe headspace of the rail tank car thereby allowing the addition orremoval of gaseous materials. Various pipes or lines may be attached tothese valves for the addition or removal of material from the rail tankcar or other like container.

Moreover, a typical cleaning process for the rail tank car or other likecontainer may include, as noted above, a withdrawal of material via avacuum pump and/or an injection of cleaning material, such as, forexample, steam, heated nitrogen gas, air or other material, that willclean the inside of the rail tank car or other like container, andremove most, if not all, of the commodity contained therein. A vacuumpump may be utilized to withdraw an amount of heated nitrogen gas thathad been injected into the railcar. The heated nitrogen gas may combinewith the gaseous chemical and be pulled from the rail car by the vacuumpump. The nitrogen gas/chemical mixture may then be injected into ameans for disposing of the chemical, such as via a flare tower forincinerating the chemical, or a reaction tank for neutralizing thechemical.

The cleaning systems, as described above, typically have a plurality ofhoses, pipes or lines that may connect, for example, to the plurality ofvalves contained on a rail tank car. Typically, the plurality of valvesare contained within a housing having a cover that may protect thevalves therein. Moreover, there are typically two eduction, or liquid,valves, and two vapor valves. However, the housing or bonnet may containany number and type of valves as may be apparent to one having ordinaryskill in the art. The cleaning systems described above will typicallyinclude a hose that will connect to one of the valves for the additionof the steam, nitrogen gas, or other gas that will clean the rail tankcar. The addition of steam or heated nitrogen gas is typically added toone of the eduction, or liquid valves, so that the steam may enter therail tank car at the bottom of the rail tank car thereby travellingwithin the rail tank car to maximize the vaporization of the chemicalcontained therein. Another hose or other hoses may be attached to one ormore of the vapor valves for removing the steam or nitrogen and chemicalmixture to be disposed of. The pipes may be attached to the valves onthe rail tank car at the same time so that the injection and removal ofthe steam, nitrogen, or other gas and subsequent removal thereof may bedone quickly and, perhaps, automatically.

However, it is very important that these hoses or pipes be connected tothe rail tank car in the proper arrangement. Improperly connected hosescan result in damage to the equipment and can endanger the health andsafety of people who may be around the rail tank car when the hoses areconnected and utilized. Moreover, the commodity may escape to theenvironment, further endangering the health of safety of people. Forexample, the hoses may be connected to the wrong valves so that when thesteam or nitrogen gas is added to the rail tank car, the wrong valve maybe opened, thereby causing a damaging increase in pressure of the steamor nitrogen gas within the cleaning system. Moreover, the vacuum pumpmay be activated without the proper valve being opened from the railtank car to the vacuum, thereby causing damage to the cleaning system.

A need, therefore, exists for an apparatus and a method for connectinghoses that overcomes the problems noted above. More specifically, anapparatus and a method are necessary for ensuring the proper connectionof hoses from a filling, emptying and/or cleaning system that may beutilized to fill and/or remove commodity from the rail tank car or otherlike container, or to clean the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a hose connector template. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to a template that lowersonto a rail tank car bonnet or protective housing. The template may havea plurality of apertures for connecting particular types of hosesthereto. The apertures may be coded so that the correct hoses areattached to the proper apertures to ensure that the hoses are inalignment with valves that are disposed within the bonnet or protectivehousing. The template may be lowered and raised over the bonnet orprotective housing via a lifting means such as a hydraulic apparatus orany other lifting mechanism.

To this end, in an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus isprovided for connecting hoses to valves on a railcar. The railcarcomprises a template comprising a plurality of apertures wherein theapertures have sizes to restrict the attachment of hoses to the valveson the railcar.

The apparatus further comprises a frame pivotally attached to astructure wherein the template is connected to the frame.

The template comprises a ring having flanges wherein the apertures aredisposed in the flanges.

The apparatus further comprises an extender connecting the frame to thetemplate wherein the extenders allow the template to move away from theframe.

The frame may have at least one arm and further wherein the extender maybe moveably connected to the arm of the frame.

The extender may be connected to the arm of the frame via a compressionfitting that may tighten around the extender thereby restricting themovement of the extender when tightened.

At least one of the apertures is differently sized from the otherapertures.

The valves are contained within a bonnet on the railcar and furtherwherein the template fits within the bonnet of the railcar.

The bonnet comprises a plurality of ports and further wherein theapertures in the template restrict access to the ports on the bonnet.

At least two of the apertures in the template are differently sized.

The frame is pivotally connected to the structure via rotatable joints.

The apparatus further comprises a locking bar attached to the framewherein the locking bar connects to the template and restricts themovement of the template.

The frame is pivotally connected to the structure and the frametranslates along the structure.

The apparatus further comprises means for lowering the template onto thebonnet of a railcar.

A first aperture of the template is a first size and a second apertureis a second size that is different from the first size.

At least one aperture on the template is sized to receive a nozzle thatis about 1 inch in diameter and a second aperture is sized to receive anozzle that is about 1¼ inches in diameter.

The bonnet comprises a plurality of types of valves.

The bonnet comprises at least one eduction valve and at least one vaporvalve.

A first aperture of a first size restricts access through a first portto the eduction valve and further wherein a second aperture of a secondsize restricts access through a second port to the vapor valve.

It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide ahose connector template and a method of using the hose connectortemplate that allows an individual to ensure that the proper hoses areattached to a plurality of valves that may be disposed on a rail tankcar. The hose connector template further ensures that the proper valveswill be opened and closed when a chemical within the rail tank car isbeing added or removed from the rail tank car.

Moreover, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a hoseconnector template and a method of using the hose connector templatethat is simple to use and relatively inexpensive to construct. The hoseconnector template further protects the health and/or safety of workersor any other individual that may be around the rail tank car as the railtank car is being filled, emptied, or cleaned.

Still further, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide ahose connector template and a method of using the hose connectortemplate that allows the hose connector template to be utilized in aplurality of positions on a rail tank car. Specifically, the hoseconnector template may move laterally and longitudinally to preciselyalign with the valves of a rail tank car.

Additional features and advantages of the present invention aredescribed in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of thepresently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a hose connector template in anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a hose connector template thatis extended in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a partial perspective view of a flange on the hoseconnector template in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the hose connector templatedisposed on a walkway and rotatable around a pivot point on the walkwayfor attachment to a rail tank car in an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the hose connector templatebeing disposed on the railcar and being pivoted to fit into the bonnetof the railcar.

FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the hose connector templatedisposed on a bonnet of a rail tank car.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a hose connector template that may beutilized to fit over or otherwise into a protective bonnet on a railtank car. The template may ensure that hoses, pipes, lines, or otherconnecting means are attached correctly to one or more of a plurality ofvalves that may be contained within the protective bonnet. Moreover, amethod of using the cross hose connector is disclosed.

Now referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts, FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a hose connectortemplate 1 in an embodiment of the present invention. The hose connectortemplate 1 may have a frame 10 that may attach to a ring 12 disposed onone end of the frame 10. The frame 10 may include a pair of arms 14,16that may be attached together and reinforced via crossbars 18 a,18 b and20 a,20 b. The arms 14,16 may further include joints 22,24 for attachingthe template 1 to a bar 102 that may be disposed on a railway structure(as shown in FIG. 4). The ring 12 may be attached to the frame 10 viaball joint connections 26,28 thereby allowing the ring 12 to bepivotable or otherwise movable with respect to the frame 10.

The ring 12 may include a planar circular portion 30 having a pluralityof flanges 32, 34, 36 and 38 disposed thereunder. The flanges may bewelded to the planar circular portion, or otherwise integrally attachedto the planar circular portion in any manner apparent to one havingordinary skill in the art. The flanges 32-38 may have apertures 40, 42,44 and 46, respectively, disposed therein. As shown below with respectto FIG. 6, the flanges may be inserted into the bonnet of the rail tankcar, after the protective cover of the bonnet has been removed oropened. The apertures 40-46 may then line up with valve ports 114 a-114d (as shown in FIG. 6) that may be disposed in the side of the bonnet.Specifically, the apertures 40-46 may be differently sized to restrictthe access of hoses and/or nozzles into the valve ports 114. Theapertures 40-46 may prevent hoses and/or nozzles from being improperlyattached to the valves contained within the bonnet of the rail tank car.

The ring 12 may further have handles 48 so that the ring may be moved orotherwise positioned by an individual when the hose connector templateis being utilized. Moreover, a locking bar 50 may be attached to theframe 10 to engage an aperture (not shown) in the flange 38. The lockingbar may lock onto the ring 12 to stabilize the ring 12 when beingmanipulated or when not in use.

A chain 52 may be disposed on the frame 10 for raising and/or loweringthe hose connector template 1 (as shown in FIG. 5). Of course, any othermeans may be utilized to raise and/or lower the hose connector template1 onto or off of a rail tank car. In addition, a locking chain 54 may bedisposed on the frame 10 for locking the hose connector template 1 in anupright position, as shown below with respect to FIG. 4. The chain 54may be attached to a railing 100 when not in use to ensure that thetemplate will not fall from the railing 100.

FIG. 2 shows the hose connector template 1 extended via extenders 60, 62that may be disposed within the arms 14,16 respectively. Compressionfittings 64,66 may be tightened or loosened on the arms 14,16 so thatthe extenders 60,62 may be extended from the arms 14,16. Moreover, thecompression fittings 64,66 may be utilized to lock the extenders 60,62in an extended position. This may allow the ring 12 to be locked intoplace after the ring 12 has been positioned to engage the bonnet on therail tank car. Moreover, the locking bar 50 is unlocked from the ring 12when the ring 12 is extended via the loosening of the compressionfittings 64,66.

FIG. 3 shows a partial perspective view of the inside of the ring 12showing the locking bar 50 engaged to the ring 12 through the aperture(not shown) in the flange 38. The locking bar 50 may engage the aperturein the flange 38 and may be clipped in the aperture in the flange 38 viaa hitch pin clip 70 that may be attached to a chain 72 that may extendfrom the locking bar 50. The hitch pin clip 70 may be disposed within anend 46 of the locking bar 50 that may extend through the aperture (notshown) in the flange 38. The hitch pin clip 70 may therefore lock thelocking bar 50 to the flange 38 when the template is not being used tokeep the ring 12 from extending from the frame 10 or to otherwise keepthe ring from pivotting. Of course, any type of fastening means may beutilized to lock the locking bar 50 to the ring 12. Moreover, anymechanism may be utilized to restrict the movement of the ring 12 fromthe arms 14,16.

Now referring to FIG. 4, the hose connector template 1 is shown attachedto a walkway 101 via the joints 22,24. A bar 102 may extend through thejoints 22,24 and may be attached to the walkway 101 via connecting means103. The joints 22,24, therefore, may provide a pivot point for the hoseconnector template 1 so that the hose connector template 1 may be raisedand lowered via the chain 52 about the pivot point from an uprightposition toward a bonnet 104 that may be disposed on a rail tank car106. A plurality of valves 107, 108, 110 and 112 may be disposed withinthe bonnet 104 for attaching hoses thereto via nozzles so that materialcan be added to the rail tank car 106 or removed therefrom. The valves107, 108, 110, and 112 may be positioned within the bonnet 104 to alignwith a plurality of ports 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, and 114 d that may bedisposed in the side of the bonnet 104. The ports may have covers 116that may be raised to gain access to the ports 114. The template 1 maybe locked to the railing 100 via the chain 54. When a user wishes toutilized the template 1, the chain 54 may be detached from the railing100 and the template may be lowered from the railing 100, as shown inFIG. 5.

FIG. 5 illustrates an individual 120 lowering the hose connectortemplate 1 onto the bonnet 104. The individual may use the chain 50 tolower the hose connector template 1 toward the rail tank car 106 to thebonnet 104. Another individual (not shown) may be positioned on or nearthe bonnet 104 on a platform 122 and may receive the template 1 toposition the ring 12 over the bonnet 104 so that the flanges 32-38 maybe inserted into the interior of the bonnet. The apertures 40, 42, 44,and 46 (shown in FIGS. 1,2) may then align with the ports 114 a, 114 b,114 c, and 114 d, respectively, that may be disposed in the side of thebonnet 104. The hose connector template 1 may be pivoted at the joints22,24 on the bar 102 so that the hose connector template is aligned withthe bonnet 104.

The ring 12 may be extended via the arms 60,62 by loosening thecompression fittings 64,66. For example, the compression fittings 64,66may be rotated so that the compression fittings “unlock” the extenders60,62 from the frame 10. An individual (not shown) that may bepositioned on the platform 122 may loosen the compression fittings 64,66and extend the extenders 60,62 so that the ring 12 and the flanges 32-38fit over and inside the bonnet 104. Moreover, the template 1 may beslidably mounted to the bar 102 via the joints 22,24 so that anindividual may translate the hose connector template 1 to preciselyalign the hose connector template 1 with the bonnet 104. Further, theball joint connectors 26,28 may allow the ring 12 to pivot or otherwisemove so that the ring 12 may precisely align with the bonnet 104 suchthat the ring 12 may sit upon the top of the bonnet 104 and the flanges32-38 may be inserted into the bonnet 104. Moreover, each of theapertures 40-46 may be differently sized to restrict access to thevalves 107, 108, 110, and 112 through the ports 114 a, 114 b, 114 c, and114 d, respectively.

FIG. 6 illustrates the hose connector template 1 lowered so that thering 12 and the flanges 32-38 fit within the bonnet 104. The flanges32-38 may be placed inside the bonnet 104 so that the flanges 32-38 maycover the ports 114 a-114 d. The apertures 40-46 that may be disposedwithin the flanges 32—38, respectively, may, therefore, provide a pointof entry through the ports 114 a-114 d. In addition, as noted above, theapertures 40-46 may be differently sized so that only certain-sizednozzles, hoses, pipes, or any other connecting means may be allowed toenter the bonnet 104 through the ports 114 a-114 d to gain access to thevalves 107, 108, 110, and 112 that may disposed within the bonnet 104.Alternatively, the flanges 32-38 may be color-coded, or otherwise markedor coded, so that a user of the template 1 will know which size nozzleor hose to attach to each valve 107, 108, 110 and/or 112 within thebonnet 104.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the valves 107, 110may be eduction valves, or liquid valves, and may accept a plurality ofnozzle-types or sizes and/or hoses that may attach to the valves107,110. The valves 107,110 may be connected to pipes (not shown) thatmay run through the rail tank car to the bottom of the rail tank car106, and may be utilized to add or remove liquid commodities to or fromthe rail tank car 106. Many materials that may be gases at standardtemperature and pressure may be stored within the rail tank cars underpressure. Therefore, these materials may be liquids within the rail tankcar. Further the valves 108,112 may be vapor valves and may be connectedto pipes (not shown) that may be only partially disposed within the railtank car, so as to have access to the headspace within the railcar. Theheadspace may likely contain vapors of the material that may be storedwithin the railcar.

The hose connector template 1 may preferably be utilized with a steam orheated nitrogen cleaning system. For example, the railcar cleaningsystem may utilize at least one hose that may be connected with a heatednitrogen gas supply. Further, a second hose may be connected with avacuum pump, and may then be connected with a reaction tank or a flaretower for disposing of the material that may be stored and/ortransported within the railcar. Alternatively, the second hose may beconnected directly with a flare tower or a reaction tank and may not beconnected with a vacuum pump. The heated nitrogen supply may be attachedto the railcar via any of the valves 107, 108, 110, and 112. Preferably,the heated nitrogen supply may be connected with one or more of theeduction valves 107,110 to flow through the railcar from the bottom ofthe railcar to bring the commodity within the railcar to the vaporphase. Further, the vacuum line may be attached to the railcar via anyof the nozzles 107, 108, 110, and 112, but preferably may be connectedwith one or more of the vapor valves 108,112 contained within thebonnet. This may allow the vacuum to draw off the vapors that may becontained within the headspace of the railcar.

The valves 107, 108, 110, and 112 may be able to attach to nozzles ofany size, as may be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art.Typically, the valves 107, 108, 110, and 112 may receive nozzles thatmay be about 1 inch or 1¼ inch in size. For the cleaning systemdescribed above, the steam or heated nitrogen gas lines may have nozzlesthat may be about 1 inch in size. Moreover, the vacuum lines may havenozzles that may be about 1¼ inches in size. Therefore, the apertures40-46 that may be disposed in the flanges 32-38, respectively, may bedifferently sized so as to allow the nozzles of particular sizes to bedisposed therethrough to attach to the respective valves 107, 108, 110,and 112. Preferably, the apertures 40, 44, generally corresponding tothe eduction valves 107,110, respectively, may be about 1 inch in sizeto allow only the steam or heated nitrogen lines to be disposed therein,since only the steam or heated nitrogen line nozzles will fit throughthe apertures 40, 44. In addition, the apertures 42,46, generallycorresponding to the vapor valves 108,112, may be about 1¼ inches insize thereby allowing either the nozzles from the steam or heatednitrogen lines or the vacuum lines to be disposed therethrough.Therefore, the vacuum line may only be connected to the vapor valves,while the steam or heated nitrogen lines may be attached to either theeduction valves or the vapor valves. This may ensure that the vacuumline or lines are not attached to the eduction valves, thereby ensuringthat the vacuum lines do not remove any liquid from the railcar into thevacuum pump thereby causing damage to the vacuum pump.

It should be understood that various changes and modifications to thepresently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent tothose skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention andwithout diminishing its attendant advantages. It is, therefore, intendedthat such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. An apparatus for connecting hoses to valves containedwithin a bonnet, wherein the bonnet is attached to a railcar, theapparatus comprising: a template comprising a plurality of apertureswherein the apertures have sizes to restrict the attachment of hoses tothe valves on the railcar wherein the template fits with the bonnetattached to the railcar and further wherein the bonnet has a pluralityof valve ports wherein at least one of the apertures within the templatealigns with at least one of the valve ports within the bonnet torestrict the attachment of at least one hose to at least one valvecontained within the bonnet.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1further comprising: a frame pivotally attached to a structure whereinthe template is connected to the frame.
 3. The apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein the template comprises a ring having flanges wherein theapertures are disposed in the flanges.
 4. The apparatus according toclaim 2 further comprising: an extender connecting the frame to thetemplate wherein the extender allows the template to move away from theframe.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the frame has atleast one arm and further wherein the extender may be moveably connectedto the arm of the frame.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 whereinthe extender is connected to the arm of the frame via a compressionfitting that tightens around the extender thereby restricting themovement of the extender when tightened.
 7. The apparatus according toclaim 1 wherein at least one of the apertures is differently sized fromthe other apertures.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein thevalves are contained within the bonnet on the railcar and furtherwherein the template fits within the bonnet.
 9. The apparatus accordingto claim 8 wherein the bonnet comprises a plurality of ports and furtherwherein the apertures in the template restrict access to the ports onthe bonnet.
 10. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein at least twoof the apertures in the template are differently sized.
 11. Theapparatus according to claim 2 wherein the frame is pivotally attachedto the structure via rotatable joints.
 12. The apparatus according toclaim 2 further comprising: a locking bar attached to the frame whereinthe locking bar connects to the template and restricts movement of thetemplate.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the frame ispivotally connected to the structure and further wherein the frametranslates along the structure.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 1further comprising: means for lowering the template onto the bonnet ofthe rail car.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a firstaperture is a first size and a second aperture is a second size that isdifferent from the first size.
 16. The apparatus according to claim 1wherein at least one aperture is sized to receive a first nozzle on oneof the hoses that is about 1 inch in diameter and a second aperture issized to receive a second nozzle on another of the hoses that is about 1¼ inches in diameter.
 17. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein thebonnet comprises a plurality of types of valves.
 18. The apparatusaccording to claim 8 wherein the bonnet comprises at least one eductionvalve and at least one vapor valve.
 19. The apparatus according to claim18 wherein a first size restricts access through a first port to theeduction valve and further wherein a second aperture of a second sizerestricts access through a second port to the vapor valve.
 20. Anapparatus for connecting hoses to valves on a railcar comprising: atemplate comprising a plurality of apertures wherein the apertures havesizes to restrict the attachment of hoses to the valves on the railcar;and an extender connecting the frame to the template wherein theextender allows the template to move away from the frame wherein theframe has at least one arm and further wherein the extender is moveablyconnected to the arm of the frame.
 21. The apparatus according to claim20 wherein the extender is connected to the arm of the frame via acompression fitting that tightens around the extender therebyrestricting the movement of the extender when tightened.
 22. Anapparatus for connecting hoses to valves on a railcar comprising: atemplate comprising a plurality of apertures wherein the apertures havesizes to restrict the attachment of hoses to the valves on the railcar;a frame pivotally attached to a structure wherein the template isconnected to the frame; and a locking bar attached to the frame whereinthe locking bar connects to the template and restricts the movement ofthe template.
 23. An apparatus for connecting hoses to valves on arailcar comprising: a template comprising a plurality of apertureswherein the apertures have sizes to restrict the attachment of hoses tothe valves on the railcar wherein the template fits with a bonnetattached to the railcar having the valves contained therein; and a framepivotally attached to a structure wherein the template is connected tothe frame; an extender connecting the frame to the template wherein theextender allows the template to move away from the frame, wherein theframe has at least one arm and further wherein the extender may bemoveably connected to the arm of the frame.
 24. The apparatus accordingto claim 23 wherein the extender is connected to the arm of the framevia a compression fitting that may tighten around the extender therebyrestricting the movement of the extender when tightened.
 25. Anapparatus for connecting hoses to valves on a railcar comprising: atemplate comprising a plurality of apertures wherein the apertures havesizes to restrict the attachment of hoses to the valves on the railcarwherein the template fits with a bonnet attached to the railcar havingthe valves contained therein; a frame pivotally attached to a structurewherein the template is connected to the frame; and a locking barattached to the frame wherein the locking bar connects to the templateand restricts movement of the template.